Expression device for pneumatic piano-players.



P. I. BURKS. EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC PIANO PLAYERSa APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30. 1915 Pau/ j .8u/'Ins y P. l'. BURKS. I EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30.19I5.'

` Patented Mar. 13, 1917 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Cif

PAUL I. BURKS, F LG'UISVLLE, KENTUCK-.

EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIG PIANOPLAYERS.

Application filed November 30, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, PAUL l. Burnie, a citiw iited States, lresiding at Louis- T son and State of Tinproveinents in Em ijneuinatic Erano-Players, oi which the following is a specification,

This invention relates to an expression de- .l vice for use in pneumatic piano players, and

other as auxiliary valves.

It is another object of the invention to provide an operating valve which is coupled to a similar valve so that when only one oi the valves is opened the second valve is automatically closed, and vice versa.

It is a further purpose oi this invention to provide pouch or diaphragm, for controlling the main valve, with a bleed hole which is automatically cleaned or prevented from clogging up by t re fluctuations oi' the pouch or diaphragm. This feature ot the invention embraces the formation of one or more bleed holes directly in the pouch or diaphragm, in the flexible portion thereof, so that as the diaphragm or pouch is distended or collapsed the material through which the bleed holes are formed is 'flexed or bent so as to dislodge any dust, lint, or the like, which may collect about and lover the bleed opening, and thus keep the same open and cleared at all times.

lVhile the present invention is particularly adapted for use with expression devices in automatic pneumatic piano players, it will be understood that this counter-balancing valve feature may be used in connection with other mechanism which is adapted to be controlled or operatedby the collapsing and distending of pneumatics, and wherein the structure may be simpliiied by the counterbalancing valves oil this invention.

In the accompanying drawings one embodiment of the invention is shown, the same being described in detail as follows, and wherein various other objects and advantages will be more particularly pointed out.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Mar. 13, 1917'.

serial no. 64,244.

ln the drawings,-

liigure 1 is a perspective view ot' the iinproved expression device, its application to the tracker bar being shown diagrammatically, and the valve chest being disclosed in section to show the cooperating parts of the mechanism.

Fig. 2 is horizontal sectional view taken through the valve chest immediately beneath the cap plate thereof. j

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the valve chest taken immediately beneath the valve supporting plate, and showing the pouches with the improved bleed holes therein.

Fig. 4l is a transverse section taken through the valve chest and the parts therein on the line fil-l of Fig'. 2.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through `lle valve chest and its parts taken centrally hrough the row of front valves.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views, and particularly to Fig. 1, designates the base plate or support of the valve chest wherein the improved valves and mechanism et this invention are carried.

This base plate 10 has mounted upon it a Yalve supporting and guiding plate 11 covered by a cap plate 1&2. The three plates are assembled one upon the other as shown in Fig. 1, and a suitable packing 13 is interposed between the adjacent upper and lower edges or the plates to form an air tight seal between them.

The base plate l0 is provided with a plurality of depressions or pockets 14; arranged preferably in longitudinal rows and in oitset or staggered relation, as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Each pocket 14: has, leading from the forward side thereof, an air vent passage 15 extending` in the base plate 10 to the front of the same, and terminating in a connecting nipple 16 which projects for-v wardly from the valve chest. As shown in the drawings, there are two rows of these pockets 14, three to each row, and from the forward row the nipples 16 project, while from the rear row the nipples 16a project.

Each of the pockets lll is provided with a covering diaphragm or pouch 17 adapted to extend down into the pocket 14, and provided with a wear button or plate 18 at its middle portion. The diaphragms 17 may be made in one piece which iS suitably stretched over the entire upper face of the base plate 10 and thus over the pockets 11, or the diaphragmel may be made in any other suitable or convenient manner.

The base plate 10 is also provided in its upper side, and adjacent its rear edge, with an exhaust opening 19 connected to an exhaust pump or chamber, and which terminates in a passage 2O extending forwardly through the base plate to a point preferably between the forward and rear rows of diaphragme, where the passage 2() opens upwardly, as shown at Fitted upon the 'top of the base plate 10 and over the diaphragme 17 is the valve supper-tino' and guid ing plate 11 which is of a depth suilicient to coter all of the diaphragms, and to clear the exhaust opening 19, so that the latter may be suitably connected with the exhaust pump or chamber. rlhe lower face of the plate 11 is recessed at its middle portion to provide an exhaust chamber 3 within the valve chest, the exhaust chamber 23 cxtendingorer all of the diaphragins 17 so as to position the exhaust chamber at the upper sides of the diaphragme and the pockets 11 beneath the diaphragms.

Each diaphragm 17 is provided in its flexible portion, between the wear button 18 and the edge of the pocket 1e, with one or more openings 21 constituting bleed holes for establishing communication between the pockets 11 and the exhaust chamber 23.

The Valve supporting and guiding plate 11 is provided in its upper face with a plurality of Valve chambers 25. The valve chambers 25 correspond in number to the number of diaphragms 17, and are arranged in Vertical alinement therewith, and communicate with the chamber 23 by means ofpassages 26 which are formed in the plate 11 inthe bottoms of the Valve chambers 25. ln each chamber 25 there is mounted a disk Valve 27, the latter normally resting upon a Valve seat 28 in the bottom of the chamber 25 about the upper' end of the passage 26, and having a depending stem 29 which passes loosely through the passage 26 and hears upon the wear button 1S of the diaphragm immediately below the Valve. 1t will be noted particularly from Figs. 41 and 5 that the stems 2G are of less diameter than the diameter of the openings or passages 26 so that when the valves 27 are raised from the seats 28, free communication is established between the exhaust chambers 23 and the ralre chambers 25.

rThe Valve chambers 25 are all closed by a single cap plate 12, the latter extending entirely over the top of the Valve supporting and guiding plate 11 and thus closing` in all of the valves 27. 'lhe cap plate 12 is provided upon its upper face with a plurality of connecting blocksSO which are arranged in rows7 one immediately over each Valve 27 nalaat-3 rlhe connecting blocks and the cap plate 12 are provided with vertical passages 31 leading directly upward from the valve chairbers 25 and opening laterally through the blocks 30 to establish communication, when the valves are seated, bets/'cen the valve chamber 25 and the atmosphere. Tl; eblocls 30 and the cap plate 12 are also provided with relatively small openings or passages 32 which are branched within the comi-ecting blocks 80, one l ranch terminating in the nipple 83 while the opposite branch termi natos in the nipple 31. The nipples project forwardly from the connecting` blocks 30 while the nipples 3 preferably extend upwardly therefrom.

rlhe valve supporting and gu rling plate 11 is pr vided in its forward ano rear edges with openings 35 adapted to receive nipples 36, as shown in 1 of the drawings` and to which are attached flexible tubes 37 leading to the opposed pneumatico 3S and Springs -10 are mounted ou the pneumatics to expand or distend the same when 'the tubes 37 and the valve chamber 25 are opened to the atmosphere, by the seating of the valves 27. The momble leaves of the pue matics are provided with connecting rods fl. or the like which lead to the valves or other devices to be actuated by the pneumatics 38 and 39.

The Valves and their parts, as herein disclosed, are arranged in pairs, and, as shown, the connecting block over the iirst Valve of the first row is connected to the first valve of the rear row by means of the tube and the connecting block over the first Valve of the rear row is connected to thc first Vvalve of the front row, by means of the tube il-2. The tubo 42 leads from the nipple 31 of the first rear valve to the nipple 16 of the pocket 1l of the first Valve of the front row. rlhe tube 13 is crossed with the tube 12, and extends from the nipple of the first valve of the front row to the nipples 16a of the pocket 14; of the irst valve of the rear row. lt is thus seen that the connection is such that the connecting bloclr 30 of cach one of the pair of interconnected Valves communicates with the pocket 11 beneath the diaphragm 17 of the opposite one of the same pair of valves.

. ln Fin. 1 of the drawine's one Jair of valves o o l is shown diagrainmatically connected to the pneumatics and the tracker bar, while the other parts are merely shown for the purpose of illustrating that any number of pairs of these interbalancing valves may be employed to control or operate as many expression or other devices as is found desirable.

The nipple 33 of one of the connecting blocks 30 is connected by tube to the tracker bar 45, the same having an opening 4:11a which communicates with the tube 411. The opposite connecting block 30 of the same pairI of valves is cennected by tube 4G to the tracker bar 45 and has communication with the traclrer opening 46, Jor admitting atmospheric air to the tube 46 when the perforations 44" and 4Gb in the note sheet 47 register vYith the tracker openings 44 and 46a.

ln operation, when one of the perforations 44b of the note sheet 47 is brought into register with the tracker bar opening 44, air is admitted to the tube 44 and through the connecting block 3G of the forward valve, as

shown in lfig. l, into the tube 43, w iich leads to the p .,clet 14 ot the rear valve by way of the duct l5. Air being thus admitted to the pocket 14, and the exhaust chamber 23 being above the diaphragm or pouch 17, raises the latter momentarily to unseat the valve 27 and establish connnunication between the exhaust chamber 23 and the pneumatic 38, through the tube 87, nipple 3S, and duct 35. lV hen the valve 27 is thus raised its upper face seats against the cap plate l2, closes the atmospheric opening 3l to the valve chamber, and also closes the passage which leads down through the connecting block 30 from 'the tracker tube 4G. As the traclier tube 46 is closed, and as the passage 32 is closed by the valve 27, the tube 4Q is placed under vacuum by reason of its connection with the nipple 1G, vhich leads through channel 15 into the pocket 14 of the front valve, which pocket 14 is exhausted of air through the bleed hole 24 in the diaphragm 17. Thus the diaphragm 17 of the front valve is permitted to tall and the valve 27 above the diaphragm is permitted to seat.

rlhe seating of the valve 27 closes communication between the pneumatic 39, connected to the front valve chamber Z5 by means of the nipple 36 and tube 37, as shown in Fig. l, whereby the pneumatic 39 is opened to the atmosphere through the passage 3l, and is thus permitted to` expand. At the same time, the valve 27 uncovers the passage 3l to the atmosphere, and also opens the relatively small passage 32 which leads to the cross tube 43 to admit air to the pocket 14 of the rear diaphragm 17. This permits the rear diaphragm to remain raised, as shown in Fig. l, and to thus hold the rear valve 27 upwardly from its seat 28. The parts remain in this position until the peroration 4Gb of the note sheet is brought into registry with the opening 46 in the tracker bar. lVhen this occurs, air is admitted to the tube 46, through connecting block 30, into the cross tube 42 and into the front pocket 14. Air being thus admitted beneath the diaphragm, the suction in the chamber 23 lifts the diaphragm and the valve 27 therewith so as to ellect the seating of the rear valve and the consequent retaining of the front valve in raised position.

It is thus seen that I have provided a pair ot main valves which are so connected tcgether that it is not necessary to provide auxiliary valves, as the main valves themselves act igor each other as auxiliary valves. The pneumatics 38 and 39 may be connected expression devices, slide or other form of valves, or to any other mechanical devices which are adapted to be. actuated or controlled from a. note sheet.

l claim l. ln pneumatic mechanism, a pair of valves, a pouch for each valve, an exhaust chamber communicating with one side of said pouches, a pocket communicating with the opposite side ot each pouch, and a duct leading from each pocket and adapted to be opened and closed to the atmosphere by the valve of the opposite pocket.

In pneumatic mechanism, a pair of valves, a pouch beneath each valve to actua'te the same, and means controllable by each valve for actuating the pouch beneath the other valve.

3. In pneumatic mechanism, a pair of valves, means Yfor actuating the valves, and a connection between said actuating means of one valve and the opposite valve for controlling the operation oit' the first valve.

4. In pneumatic mechanism. a pair of valves, means for unseating one of the valves, means between said valve and the second valve for holding said second valve I to its seat, and connection between the second valve and the iirst valve whereby to maintain the tirst valve in unseated position. ln pneumatic mechanism, a pair of valves, means to initially open one of the valves, a connection between said valves adapted to close one valve upon the opening of the opposite valve, and means between the opposite valve and the lirst valve to retain the lirst valve open when the second valve is closed.

ln pneumatic mechanism, a valve chest having an exnaust chamber therein, a pair of pneumatics connected. to the exhaust chamber, a valve for each pneumatic controlling commnnication between the separate pneumatics and the exhaust chamber, means for initially opening one of the valves whereby to exhaust one of the pneumatics, a connection between said valves adapted to seat the second valve upon the initial opening oit the lirst valve. and means controllable by the second valve adapted to retain said first valve open when said second valve is seated.

7. In pneumatic mechanism, a valve chest, a pair oit valves mounted in the valve chest, an exhaust chamber in the valve chest, ducts leading' from the valve chest past said valves nd adapted to be controlled thereby,traclrer tubes leading from the valve chest and being controlled by said valves, a pouch beneath each valve for actuating the same,

said pouches connnunicating` at one side with said exhaust chamber, a pocket at the opposite sie` e oi" each pouch, and ducts leading from the pouches to said Valves whereby upon the opening,r of one valve the pocket of the opposite valve is closed to collapse the opposite pouch and seat the opposite Valve, and whereb)7 the seating of the opposite Talive opens the pocket of the lirst valve to retain the latter in open position.

FS. in pneumatic mechanism, a valve chest having a pair ci poc, therein and ducts leading` outwardly from the pockets, a pouch over each pockeh an exhaust chamber abore said pouches, a Valve above each pouch adapted to be operated thereby, a Valve chamber about each valve communicating with. the exhaust chamber and with the outside atmosph fc7 a pneumatic communicatwith each vali/*e chamber l adapted to be alternatei)7 opened to the exhaust chamber and to the atmosphere, and a duct leading from cach valve chamber to the pocket of the opposite Valve whereby the operation of one valve controls the operation oi theoppo; site valve.

9. ln pneuma ic mechanism, a pair of pneunfiatics7 pair of Valves adapted to control the operation of the pneumatics, and means connecting the Valves whereby each valve operates upon the other valve as an auxiliary Valve.

i0. pneumatic mecnanisim a pair or ralvea pneumatic for each Valve, and means connecting` the valves for equalizinp; the same.

1l. In pnemnatic meclhinismLU a pair of Valves, a pneumatic connected to each Valve, means for initiall7 onening one of the Valves, means r seating' the opposite Valve upon the opening' of the first Valve, and other means between the rali/'es adapted to maintain the tiret valve open when the second valve is seated.

i2. :in pneumatic mechanism.` a Valve Copier of this notent may be o". tained for ve chest, a pair of connected Valves in the valve chest, a tracker tube leading from each Valve and adapted to initially actuate the valve upon the opening` of the tube, and means controlled by the valves for maintaining the tracker tube of the second Valve closed whereby to maintain the first valve open.

13. ln pneumatic mechanism, a valve chest having' pockets in the lower part thereof, a pouch covering' each pocket, a duct leading` forwardly from each pocket, an eX- haust chamber above the pouches, Valves in the top of the exhaust chamber having?,- stems bearing` upon said pouches7 a pneumatic tube leading' from each Valve, an open tube leading; from each valve, a tracker tube leading from each Valve, and a branch tube leading` from each valve to the pocket or one of the other valves.

14. ln pneumatic mechanism, a pair of opposed pneiunaticsu an exhaust chamber connected to the pneumatics, a valve chamber between the exhaust cha aber and each pneumatic. a valve in each valve chamber adapted when seated to close communication between the exhaust chamber and the respective pneumatic, a pouch in communication with the exhaust chamber and arranged immediately beneath each Valve, and tracker tubes leading; into said valve chambers and beneath said pouches, said Valve chambers lmrinf;` openings through the sides thereof leadinp into the atmosphere and adapted, when the Valves are seated, to open the pneumatics and the tracker tubes to the atmosphere, said tracker tubes leading from the valve chamber et one valve to the pouch of the opposite valve.

in testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL l. EURES. `Witnesses:

DAYTON T. MITCHELL, d. li). HUrcnINs. 

